Integrated endoscope irrigation

Abstract

A distal tip of an endoscopic device and a cylindrical cap is disclosed. The distal tip comprises a pattern of alternating grooves and lands on its outer surface. The cylindrical cap is configured to fit tightly over the lands, thereby changing the grooves into closed channels through which liquid or gas can flow.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A component comprising a circular nozzle configured to be attached to a distal end of an insertion tube of an endoscopic device, the component comprising:
 a) a distal tip; and 
 b) a cylindrical cap; 
 wherein:
 i) the distal tip comprises a pattern of alternating grooves and lands on an outer cylindrical surface; 
 ii) the cylindrical cap is configured to fit tightly over the lands, thereby changing the grooves into closed channels; 
 iii) the cylindrical cap comprises a circular hole at the center of a distal surface of the cylindrical cap, the circular hole surrounded by an annular curved portion of the cap that covers all of the distal surface of the distal tip not exposed by the circular hole; 
 iv) the component comprising a gap between the distal surface of the distal tip and an interior surface of the annular curved portion of the cylindrical cap when the cylindrical cap is in place over the distal tip; and 
 v) the closed channels on the outer cylindrical surface of the distal tip and the annular curved portion of the cylindrical cap are configured such that, after the component is attached to the distal end of the insertion tube, liquid or gas introduced into the proximal end of the insertion tube is caused to flow out of the insertion tube through the gap between the distal surface of the distal tip and the interior surface of the annular curved portion and out of the circular hole in the cylindrical cap, whereupon the circular hole functions as a circular nozzle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A method of providing a component having a circular nozzle on a distal end of an insertion tube of an endoscopic device through which liquid or gas can flow, the component comprising a distal tip and a cylindrical cap, the method comprising:
 a) creating a pattern of alternating grooves and lands on an outer cylindrical surface of the distal tip; 
 b) creating a circular hole surrounded by an annular curved portion at the center of a distal surface of the cylindrical cap; and 
 c) fitting the cylindrical cap tightly over the lands, thereby changing the grooves into closed channels; 
 wherein when the cylindrical cap is fitted over the lands:
 i) the annular curved portion of the cap covers all of a distal surface of the distal tip not exposed by the circular hole; and 
 ii) a gap exists between a distal surface of the distal tip and an interior surface of the annular curved portion of the cylindrical cap; and 
 
 d) attaching the component to the distal end of the insertion tube of the endoscopic device; 
 wherein, the closed channels on the outer cylindrical surface of the distal tip and the annular curved portion of the cylindrical cap are configured to cause liquid or gas, introduced into a proximal end of the insertion tube to flow out of distal end of the insertion tube through (i) the closed channels, (ii) the gap between the distal surface of the distal tip and the interior surface of the annular curved portion, and (iii) the circular hole, whereupon the circular hole functions as a circular nozzle.